The Cyrus Cylinder travels to the US The British Museum today announces that one of its most iconic objects, the Cyrus Cylinder, will tour to five major museum venues in the United States in 2013. This will be the first time this object has been seen in the US and the tour is supported by the Iran Heritage Foundation. - 11/30/12

Photos: Nazhvan Forest Park in Isfahan Nazhvan Forest Park is one of the natural and recreational attractions of Isfahan. Nazhvan, with an are of 1200 hectares, is the biggest park west of the city of Isfahan. Nazhvan is composed of "Naj" which means pine in Persian and "van" which means place in Persian. Thus Nazhvan means a place with lots of pine trees. - 11/30/12

Blind Legislator-Elect Cites Education as Key to Success "Our greatest challenge is to build a 21st-century education system that ensures that every child can fulfill his or her potential," said Habib, 31, who is believed to be the first American of Iranian descent elected to a state legislature. -Kathryn McConnell - 11/30/12

Turkey Continues Trading Gold for Iranian Natural Gas Turkey late least week acknowledged that a surge in its gold exports this year is related to payments for imports of Iranian natural gas, shedding light on Ankara's role in breaching U.S.-led sanctions against Tehran. In response, U.S. senators said they will seek to close this loophole. -Dorian Jones, VOA - 11/30/12

Iran: Military Attack Cannot Stop Uranium Enrichment In Vienna on November 30, Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh told journalists that Iran would rebuild any enrichment centrifuges destroyed in an attack. - 11/30/12

NIAC: Demand AP Clarify Warmongering Report This week, the Associated Press (AP) ran an "exclusive" story claiming to uncover bombshell evidence in support of war with Iran. The evidence? A crude, hand drawn graph. - 11/30/12

IAEA chief expresses concern for inspectors in Iran International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said on Thursday that his inspectors in Tehran are enduring pressure but he failed to indicate what kind of duress they might be under, saying the situation was not easily explained. - 11/30/12

Senate votes to tighten sanctions on IranThe Senate has voted 94-0 to tighten sanctions on Iran, targeting its energy and shipping industries. In a letter to lawmakers, the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee urged senators to back the legislation. -Huffington Post - 11/30/12

Iranian embassy attacked in Berlin After a number of individuals attacked the Iranian embassy in Berlin, Iran has called for a judicial confrontation with the perpetrators, and the German Foreign Minister has apologized to the Islamic Republic. - 11/29/12

Jailed Iranian lawyer in critical healthJailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month, is now in critical condition, her husband Reza Khandan reports. - 11/29/12

Iranian, Polish puppet shows share Warsaw festival prize The puppet shows "The Earth and the Universe" from Iran and "Louder!" from Poland have shared a top prize of at A Puppet Is a Human Too, an international festival of puppet theaters and movie animation for adults which was held in Warsaw. - 11/29/12

NATO to Decide on Turkey Missile Defense NATO is expected to make a decision Tuesday on Turkey's request for the deployment of missile defense batteries along its border with Syria. The decision is seen by Ankara as having both military and diplomatic significance. But such a deployment is strongly opposed by Russia and Iran. - 11/29/12

Taking Risks in Art and Politics Over the past two decades, Shirin Neshat has drawn on her personal experience of being an artist at home in the West with roots in Iran to illustrate her creed: "People should be free to choose what they want to do with their lives, what they want to wear, what religion they want to believe in; this is not something a government or a community should impose." -NY Times - 11/29/12

Oil up on US budget optimism, Middle East tensionBrent crude oil rose by more than $1 to reach $111 per barrel on Thursday on optimism that U.S. lawmakers would reach a deal on fiscal policy and as mounting tension in the Middle East intensified supply concerns. -Reuters - 11/29/12

American Pie It feels good for whatever reasons -- That Mr. Obama -- Is re-elected -- Heard the news -- Through an e-mail from Citizen Journalist -- Just that very minute the results were announced in US -- Here in Iran... -Roya Monajem, Tehran - 11/28/12

UN Resolution Intensifies International Pressure on Iran The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran welcomes today's passage of a resolution by the United Nations Third Committee of the General Assembly calling on the government of Iran to stop its massive human rights violations. The resolution passed with 83 votes in favor, 31 against, and 68 abstentions. - 11/28/12

Iranian government slammed for rise in child labour Iranian children's rights activist Ali Akbar Esmailpour has spoken out against the lack of close supervision of child labour in Iran. Esmailpour told ILNA on Tuesday that the Iranian government fails to accurately report on just how many child workers are used in workshops in Iran. - 11/28/12

Iran's "Here without Me" crowned best film at London festival "Here without Me" directed by Bahram Tavakkoli has been named the Best Feature Film at the 3rd London Iranian Film Festival. A screen adaptation of Tennessee Williams's "A Glass Menagerie", "Here without Me" is about Yalda, a kind, pretty and gentle girl who is ashamed of her limp. - 11/28/12

Iranian Official: 'We Should Be Ready To Face Nuclear Accidents' A rare expression of concern about Iran's nuclear sites and their impact on human health has been made by the head of the country's accident and medical emergency center. "We believe all of our emergency services should be trained and ready to face nuclear accidents," Gholamreza Massoumi was quoted as saying by Mehr -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 11/28/12

Iran's petrochemical exports exceed $7b in 7 months As much as $80 billion in investment opportunities have been identified in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the Iranian petrochemical industry, which is taking great steps toward development, Bayat said, adding that the NPC pays special attention to the attraction of investments in order to achieve this goal. - 11/28/12

Study Predicts Stunning Costs for Diplomatic Failure with IranA new study by the Federation of American Scientists estimates that escalating conflict with Iran would impose stunning costs to the global economy. A war with Iran, according to the study, could cost up to $1.8 trillion in the first three months, while new sanctions that Congress is considering passing before year's end would set the economy back $64 billion. - 11/27/12

New Study Outlines Impact of Broad Sanctions on Iranian AmericansThe ALC study documents some of the instances of Iranian Americans being blocked from completely legal transactions through unclear or overzealous enforcement. The case of Iranian Americans being denied purchases at Apple retail stores earlier this year was just the tip of the iceberg. - 11/27/12

Brzezinski: US Should Not Follow Israel on Iran Like a "Stupid Mule" "I don't think there is an implicit obligation for the United States to follow like a stupid mule whatever the Israelis do," said Zbigniew Brzezinski. "If they decide to start a war, simply on the assumption that we'll automatically be drawn into it, I think it is the obligation of friendship to say, 'you're not going to be making national decision for us.' - 11/27/12

Iran-US No negotiations, no solutionThe US, from its position of strength, perceives that tightening sanctions will bring Iranians to the negotiating table and force them to suspend the nuclear program. Contrarily, the US language of threat, intimidation, and humiliation intensifies Iran's paranoia and mistrust. -Hooshang Amirahmadi - 11/27/12

Iranians should marry younger: Census Official In recent months, the Islamic Republic authorities have scrapped all population-control programs that had been in place for decades in Iran, and even the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei apologized to the people for having instructed them in the past to bear fewer children. - 11/27/12

Problem of illiteracy persists in IranThe head of Iran's Literacy Movement has announced that more than 9.5 million Iranians over the age of six are illiterate. Ali Bagherzadeh told the Reporters Club today, Monday November 26, that one third of the illiterate population is between the ages of 10 and 49. - 11/27/12

Iran becomes chair of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Leaders of the world's biggest gas suppliers ended their first summit in Doha, Qatar on November 13. During the gathering, they restated the need for a fair gas price, while Iran, whose president was absent, warned that Western taxation could derail the energy market - 11/27/12

Iran plans to cut dependency on Turkmen gas imports Iran has developed a plan to launch a new pipeline, aiming to boost gas supply to the Caspian Sea provinces and cut dependency on gas imports from Turkmenistan, the Mehr News Agency quoted National Iranian Gas Company's Managing Director Javad Owji as saying. - 11/27/12

Iranian newspaper stops publication over cartoon The Maghreb daily reported on Monday that due to objections against a cartoon of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that appeared on the front page of its November 22 issue, publication of the paper will cease until the Press Supervisory Board convenes to decide its fate. - 11/26/12

The Biggest Wish of Sharif University's Chief: Holding A Mass Prayer On Another Planet During an recent gathering at Sharif University of Technology, Dr. Reza Roosta Azad, Chancellor of the University, said that during the week of aerospace he was asked what his biggest wishes were. He said that he had responded that his biggest wish was to hold a mass prayer on one of the other planets, since this wish allows the both technological and spiritual advancements. Amen! - 11/26/12

Iranian photographer takes 1st prize of competition in San Francisco Farzaneh Radmehr, a photographer from Tehran, was awarded a Gold Medal and took the 1st place prize in The New Images Photography Awards with her photograph "Flying Down". The photograph is part of an exhibition of the Gold Medal Award winners that was held at Studio 17 in San Francisco November 10-25. - 11/26/12

The principle of Process and Culture of Human Rights: "Ends and Means" The dialogue of "Means" (specific actions), "Ends" (end goals), and "Process" carries a historical, ethical, social, and political importance. And, the Machiavellian philosophy of "the ends justify the means" has nowadays become the dominant decision-making axiom and spoken communication. -12Petals Media Group - 11/26/12

Labour groups call for probe into blogger's death Three Iranian labour organizations have issued a joint statement urging the government to pursue the case of Sattar Beheshti's death in police custody so the perpetrators of his death can be brought to justice. - 11/26/12

Blisters and SanctionsIt was February 1987, at the front lines near Khorramshahr, in the south of Iran along the Iraqi border. We had been engaged in heavy battles for over a week. Our troops had penetrated fortified Iraqi positions, and the Iraqis were making us pay: Artillery and mortar shells rained down on us with a vengeance, as did bombs from Iraqi planes. -Shahriar Khateri and Narges Bajoghli, MERIP - 11/26/12

Israeli Defense Minister Barak Quits Politics Barak founded the center-left Independence party after splitting from the Labor party in 2011. He became a close ally of Mr. Netanyahu in recent years, but their relationship has become strained by differences in how to seek U.S. support for Israel's strategy toward Iran. - 11/26/12

Photos: Ashura Carnival in Iran In the recent decades, Ashura has been turning into a carnival like event where people in different regions of Iran enact various events as they see them happened in Karbala. These photos show the Ashura rituals held in various towns and villages across Iran. - 11/25/12

Photos: Ashura Carnival in Qom During the month of Muharram, various mourning ceremonies are held across Iran where each region has developed their own traditions and rituals, many of them carnival style. These photos show one of the Ashura rituals held in the holly city of Qom in central Iran. - 11/25/12

Iran accuses U.S. of airspace violations Iran's permanent representative at the United Nations has accused the United States of repeated violations of its airspace. In a letter to Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council, Mohammad Khazai accused the United States of carrying out "illegal and provocative" operations in the Persian Gulf. - 11/25/12

Middle East: The Next Four YearsOver the next four years the U.S. will face a number of foreign policy issues, most of them regional, some of them global. Dispatches From The Edge will try to outline and analyze them, starting with the Middle East. -Conn M. Hallinan, Dispatches from the Edge - 11/25/12

Photos: Muharram Mourning in Tabriz Bazaar During the month of Muharram, various mourning ceremonies are held across Iran where region has developed their own traditions. These photos show the Tasoua (9th of day Muharram) mourning ritual held in Tabriz Bazaar. -Alihamed Haghdust - 11/24/12

Photos: Muharram Carnival in Kashan During the month of Muharram, various mourning ceremonies are held across Iran where region has developed their own traditions and rituals, many of them carnival style. These photos show one of these rituals held in the city of Kashan in central Iran. -Mohammadreza Abbasi - 11/24/12

Photos: Akhlamad Waterfall Akhlamad Waterfall is located in the province of Razavi Khorasan in northeastern Iran and is a popular tourist excursion. During the cold winters, Akhlamad Waterfall manifests a spectacular sight as it freezes completely over. Other than the magnificent natural view that it provides theonlookers, it also produces a much stiffer challenge to rock climbing enthusiasts. - 11/24/12

Iran's tea industry faces total destruction: union The head of Iran's northern tea factories union has announced that more than 65 tea production units have been shut down, and the "uncalculated policies" of the Ahmadinejad administration have put a heavy strain on tea production in Iran. - 11/24/12

US Cancels Conference on Nuke-Free Mideast The United States says a conference on banning nuclear weapons in the Middle East will not be held because of current conditions in the region. The announcement comes amid a flare up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, civil war in Syria and an unsettled political situation in Egypt. - 11/24/12

Iran among objectors to Turkey's missile defence plan Iran, Russia and Syria have expressed their opposition to the deployment of NATO's anti-ballistic missile system in Turkey. On Thursday, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed that Turkey had made a request for deployment of the missiles, stressing that they were "purely defensive." - 11/24/12

Iran Complains to UN About Illegal US OverflightsThe Iranian government has sent letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Security Council today complaining about "illegal and provocative acts" carried out by the US Navy along their coast. -Jason Ditz, Antiwar - 11/24/12

Argo, The Canadian Caper and the story of a young third culture kid The movie, ARGO, was just released and many of my closest friends knew how excited I was to see it as I once lived in Tehran during these tumultuous times. It's the story of the rescue of 6 American Consular Officers who fled their posts and went into hiding after Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy on November 4, 1979. What many of them did not know was that as a young 18 year old soldier I was a part of this story. As this operation is no longer classified, I can now share my part in it. -JT McInnis - 11/23/12

Photos: Muharram Mourning in Masouleh, Northern Iran During the month of Muharram, various mourning ceremonies are held across Iran where region has developed their own traditions. These photos show the mourning ceremonies that are held on the 6th of Muharram each year in the village of Masouleh in the northern province of Gilan. -Sajjad, Rafikhah - 11/23/12

Let My People Go! As the second American presidential term begins, trepidation permeates pages of daily lives. National problems abound: from secession petition of the ignorant to the soap opera of propinquity of marriage, sex and lust. -Soosan M Alemansoor - 11/23/12

Blogger may have died from shock: Iranian Judiciary The death of a jailed blogger in custody was not due to any form of illness, the Tehran General and Revolutionary court said in a statement issued on Thursday. Iranian judiciary officials confirmed that Sattar Beheshti, who was arrested on October 30 and transferred to Evin Prison, died four days later while in police custody. - 11/23/12

Ericsson helping Iran's telecom expansion Despite Western sanctions the Swedish firm Ericsson is working with Iran's largest mobile telecom operator to expand its network and has promised to support another Iranian mobile carrier until 2021, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Ericsson is the world's largest mobile network equipment maker. - 11/23/12

A defeat for Israel...?It's too soon to know whether the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will be more than a sticking plaster to be ripped off by more violence whether provoked by Israel or not, but while we wait for events to give us the answer, there is a good case for saying that under Netanyahu's leadership the Zionist (not Jewish) state has suffered a significant defeat. -Alan Hart - 11/23/12

ANIMAL PLANET: The Law of the Jungle We are looking at an ongoing conflict of interests between the tenth most powerful military in the world, supported unequivocally by the world's most powerful empire, against the occupants of a tiny, overcrowded and destitute concentration camp equipped with homemade miniature missiles that do not always even carry any explosives! -Kam Zarrabi - 11/22/12

Thanksgiving: A Favorite U.S. Holiday Thanksgiving in the United States is a time to gather with family and friends, share a traditional meal and express gratitude for the good things in life. It can also be a time of service to others in the community. - 11/22/12

Iran: Visits withheld from female political prisoners in Evin Kaleme speculates that the decision by Tehran Prosecutor Mahmoud Jafari Dowlatabadi was probably issued as a punishment for the letter that was released earlier by a number of Iranian political prisoners, expressing sympathy for the family of deceased blogger Sattar Beheshti, who died recently while in the custody of cyber police. - 11/22/12

Jailed Iranian Rights Lawyer On 'Unlimited' Hunger Strike Jailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has reportedly been on hunger strike for more than a month, appears determined to continue her protest indefinitely. Her husband, Reza Khandan, has written on his Facebook page that Sotoudeh told him on November 20 that she was on an "unlimited" hunger strike. - 11/22/12

Photos: Iranian MPs stage rally to deplore Israel's crimes in Gaza Iranian MPs along with Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, held a rally here on Wednesday to condemn Israel's aggression on Gaza. Israel has conducted more than 1,350 aerial and sea attacks against the Gaza Strip since November 10, which have left more than 126 Palestinians, including 27 children and a pregnant woman, dead and over 900 others injured. - 11/21/12

Iranian Parliament Discusses Election Reform Iranian lawmakers have opened discussions on whether to reform the country's election laws. The changes which are being considered by Iran's 290-seat parliament, or Majlis, aim to introduce tougher prerequisites for those looking to contest the country's presidential election next year. - 11/21/12

We'll not axe Carlos Queiroz: Iran football chief Head of the Iran Football Federation Ali Kaffashian said on Tuesday that he has not decided to axe Carlos Queiroz. Iran lost to Uzbekistan last week in the 2012 World Cup qualifier and has a difficult task to advance directly to the competitions. - 11/21/12

Iran's nuclear program unhindered by sanctions: IAEA Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says Iran continues to enrich uranium at a steady rate and international sanctions have not had any evident effect on Iran's nuclear activities. - 11/21/12

Acclaimed Iranian Filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi Speaks Out about Brother's Arrest Bahman Ghobadi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today that his brother, Behrouz, was arrested on November 4. Fearing for the health of his brother who has several serious illnesses, Ghobadi told the Campaign that the family has no information about his condition since his arrest. - 11/20/12

The Frugality Of Iran's Supreme Leader Iran's highest authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is often short of cash and has to borrow from his personal guards, according to an account by a man who's said to be one of Khamenei's oldest friends and aides. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 11/20/12

Speaking to the Palestinians in the language of death, but still there is hope When Israel rained death and destruction on the Gaza Strip four years ago, Chris Hedges wrote the following. "Israel uses sophisticated attack jets and Naval vessels to bomb densely crowded refugee camps, schools, apartment blocks mosques and slums, to attack a population that has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no artillery units, no mechanized armour, no command and control, no army and calls it a war. It is not a war. It is Murder. -Alan Hart - 11/20/12

The "Leopard of Iran" gone missing on Mont Blanc Iranian experienced mountaineer Mahdi Amidi Ahang has not yet found after more than one month. Amidi, known as snow leopard of Iran, was last seen on 16th October at near the Tete Rousse refuge on the Mont Blanc in the Alps. - 11/20/12

Major Muslim Nations' Economic Forum Begins In Islamabad Opening the meeting, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said the Developing 8, or D-8, group of countries' share in global trade could reach $500 billion by 2018. The presidents of Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, and Nigeria along with leaders of Bangladesh and Malaysia will participate in a one-day D-8 leadership summit in Islamabad on November 22. - 11/20/12

Photos: Life in Masal, Northern Iran Masal is situated at high elevations on the Talesh mountainside in the midst of soaring forests. Surrounded by the beauties of nature, Masal is one of the unique tourist attractions of the country especially during the autumn season. -Amin Rahmani - 11/19/12

New York Still Needs Our Help: IAAB Lends a Hand In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, IAAB organized a team of volunteers, along with a coalition of organizations, to work on Sandy relief efforts. What we found were communities extremely devastated three weeks after the storm hit. There is a dire need for all of those in New York and New Jersey to volunteer in relief efforts before the extreme winter weather hits. - 11/19/12

Witness returned to Evin Prison after outcry Abolfazl Abedini, an Iranian political prisoner who was exiled to Ahvaz Prison last week, has reportedly been returned to Evin Prison. His transfer was immediately reported and challenged by 41 of his cellmates, who published a letter expressing concern for his well-being. - 11/19/12

Iranian people bearing brunt of sanctions: Iran The Etemad daily reported on Monday November 19: "Part of the drug shortages that the country is wrestling with are brought on by the sanctions that Western countries have imposed on the grounds that they are pressuring the Iranian government." - 11/19/12

The Roots of Israeli Attack on Gaza Phyllis Bennis: Well, I think that what we're looking at is a huge escalation on the part of Israel against Gaza, very reminiscent in a number of ways of the Operation Cast Lead of 2008, 2009, also beginning shortly after the election-the first election, that time-of President Obama, and before the inauguration in both cases. - 11/19/12

Violence rejected at Syrian national dialogue meeting held in Tehran The participants of the Syrian national dialogue meeting, which was held in Tehran on Sunday, emphasized the importance of a halt to the violence in Syria. The announcement was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi during a press conference held after a closed-door meeting. - 11/19/12

The Basij Expands its Activities: A News Agency for a Para-military Group The militia arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Basij, has joined the ranks of those groups and institutions in Iran that have their own "news agency". As announced, the news channel aims to have "an active" presence in cyberspace with the purpose of "confronting the soft war of the enemy" -Nazanin Kamdar, Rooz - 11/19/12

Iranian firm to manufacture 2.5MW wind turbines Iran's MAPNA Generator Company will manufacture 2.5MW generators through indigenizing related technology by the next 1.5 years. Currently, Iran has the capacity to generate 10,000MW of electricity using wind turbines. - 11/19/12

Little housing rebuilt months after quake: Iranian MP Alahverdi Dehghan, the Iranian MP for Varzaghan, reported today that only 15 percent of the necessary housing has been completed for the victims of the earthquake that struck the region last August, and 5,000 families are still facing the cold without adequate shelter. - 11/18/12

Conference in Washington, DC -- Iran 2013: Making Diplomacy Work 2013 will be the critical year to resolve the Iranian nuclear standoff. With sanctions escalating, Iranian nuclear capabilities increasing, a soft war simmering and warnings of full blown military conflict on the horizon, it has never been more vital that the United States and Iran find a diplomatic off ramp to prevent disaster. - 11/17/12

Iran: Daughter of slain activists given summons Iranian authorities confiscated the passport of Parastou Forouhar at the airport today, on Saturday, as she entered Iran on the eve of the 14th annual commemoration of her parents' death. - 11/17/12

Iranian FM to visit Gaza Heading a high-ranking delegation, Salehi will travel to the region to express solidarity with the people injured in the recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and express Iranian nation's strong support for the Palestinian resistance movement. - 11/17/12

Tehran looks ready to tangoTo the surprise of many, Iran's Intelligence Ministry shares the assessment of its counterparts in the US and Israel: the potential destruction caused by military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities would set back the programme only a few years. More telling is their final conclusion: diplomacy is the preferred way forward. -Reza Marashi & Sahar Namazikhah, Al Jazeera - 11/17/12

Gaza rockets land near Jerusalem as fears of ground offensive grow The Israeli cabinet has authorised the call-up of 75,000 reserve troops as fears grow that the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, will order a ground invasion after Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire did not make headway and Hamas fired a rocket at Jerusalem. -Guardian - 11/17/12

Photos: Iranian quake victims in the company of cold weather Those who lost their homes in the quake hit areas of Varzaghan and Ahar in Iran's northwestern province of Azarbaijan now have to deal with the cold and snow. This has created more hardship for the quake victims who are still living in tents. Meanwhile more quakes have been hitting the area causing more damage. -Farshid Tighehsaz - 11/16/12

Victors and victims, a review of Argo When in June 2009, Barack Obama described the President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak as a 'force for stability and good in the region' he was echoing the description US President Jimmy Carter had reserved for the Shah of Iran in 1978. Mubarak, like his Iranian counterpart, a dictator, was similarly overthrown in a popular revolution not long after his American Presidential blessing. -Naz Massoumi - 11/16/12

International airfares double in Iran Following fare hikes of more than 50 percent for domestic flights in Iran, the cost of international tickets has risen even further - by 107 percent. - 11/16/12

Tolerance and Culture of Human Rights Social responsibility is a concept that is dedicated to the promotion of building up shared values. For the culture of human rights to be genuinely cultivated, special emphasis needs to be placed on such universally shared values as freedom, tolerance, and non-violence. -12Petals Media Group - 11/16/12

Is Iran Resorting To An Insurance Scam To Keep Oil Exports Flowing?Oil sales are vital to Iran's economy and its ability to continue financing its clandestine nuclear and ballistic missile programs. New evidence has emerged which raises the question of whether Iran is engaging in a giant insurance fraud, replacing private insurance with a patina of coverage shrouded in mystery. -Forbes - 11/16/12

Iran loses to Uzbekistan in World Cup qualifier Uzbekistan stunned host Iran in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. The Iranian national football team lost 1-0 to the Uzbeks in front of 40,000 home fans at Tehran's Azadi Stadium. - 11/15/12

2nd phase of Iran's subsidy reform plan suspendedIn the second phase of the subsidy reform plan, the government was scheduled to increase the energy prices in five years, with low-income families compensated with direct cash handouts. - 11/15/12

Cheetahs on the EdgeThe camera-trap program has helped Iranian scientists determine roughly how many cheetahs are left and where they live-vital information for developing a conservation strategy. -National Geographic - 11/15/12

Iran is world's 11th leading wheat producer: FAO The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says Iran is the 11th leading producer of wheat in the world in 2012. According to the latest FAO report, "Crop Prospects and Food Situation," Iran's wheat production has reached 13.8 million tons in 2012. - 11/15/12

Several Arrested After Iranian Blogger's Death In CustodyIran's prosecutor-general says several people have been arrested in connection with the case of blogger Sattar Beheshti, a critic of the Iranian establishment, who died in custody earlier this month. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 11/14/12

Iran, Denmark launch cooperation in controlling diabetes Chancellor of Tehran Medical Sciences University Bagher Larijani said Wednesday that the university signed a cooperation agreement on prevention and curbing diabetes with a complex procedure of treating the disease in the EU. - 11/14/12

Iraq's Kurdish Region Sees Economic Boom The autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq is witnessing an economic boom, drawing back many exiled Kurds who had fled oppression and now dream of helping to create an independent homeland. -Henry Ridgwell, VOA - 11/14/12

Photos: Saffron harvest in northern Iran Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It's derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus and has a deep auburn color and sweet flavor. Iran is the world largest producer of saffron. It is widely cultivated the eastern and southeastern provinces of Fars, Kerman, and those in the Khorassan region - 11/13/12

Iran Unveils New Missile System Iran said it has successfully tested a new air-defense system during large-scale military exercises in the country's east. - 11/13/12

Tehran hosting international human rights conference The second International Conference on Human Rights and Cultures is underway in Tehran, with representatives from 30 countries in attendance. The conference, which is being hosted by the Non-Aligned Movement's Center for Human Rights and Cultural Diversity, kicked off on Monday. - 11/13/12

Iran lifts ban on computer, mobile import ISNA reports that Sasan Khodayi, the head of import and export regulations for the Trade Development Organization of Iran, said on Tuesday November 13: "Registering for the import of laptops and computer equipment is now possible and without restrictions." - 11/13/12

Jailed Iranian lawyer on hunger strike gets visit with children Jailed Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has finally been allowed a visit with her two children. The Kaleme opposition website reports that the visit took place in the presence of security forces, and Sotoudeh's daughter reported that her mother "has lost weight and is taken to the infirmary on occasion." - 11/13/12

Post Delisting, What Are the Mojahedin-e Khalq Up to Now? Freed from the pretended constraints of being listed as a terrorist entity in the USA, the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) has stepped up its financial and money laundering activities in Western countries. The MEK have launched a 'basij' (all-out campaign) in their financial section. -Massoud Khodabandeh, Huffington Post - 11/13/12

Persian Garden The great substantial art exhibition held on Persian Gardens at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts in 2004 and registration of Persian Gardens on the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 2011, make it opportune to refer to a vital significant point hidden from the eyes of researchers of the subject so far: Persian Garden is the manifestation of a wise-humanist process with its form and geometry naturally following this process. -Khoobchehr Keshavarzi - 11/12/12

Iran: Dead blogger's interrogators arrested An Iranian website linked to the Islamic Republic News Agency reported on Monday that three of Sattar Beheshti's interrogators have been arrested in connection with the probe into the prisoner's death while in custody. - 11/12/12

Modern Iran: A Pictorial history for Young Readers Modern Iran the third book in the Culture of Iran Youth series covers life in Iran from the 18th century to the present time. It starts with the Qajar dynasty, their attempt to modernize the country and their contributions to the visual and performing arts in Iran. - 11/12/12

Photos: Espakhou Fire Temple Espakhou fire temple is one of the oldest structures in Iran's North Khorasan province. According to the studies and excavations by the experts, this ancient temple belongs to the Sassanid era (AD 224-AD 651). -Ehsan Kamaly - 11/12/12

Iran has proof U.S. drone violated its airspace: general The deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, said on Sunday that Iran has firm evidence that the U.S. drone, which was recently targeted by Iran, had entered the country's airspace. - 11/12/12

Social Order: Women Photographers from Iran, India and Afghanistan This important exhibition (at Photo Center NW in Seattle) features five contemporary women artists whose work explores the role of women in the context of cultural constructs, religion, censorship and the media. This exhibition draws powerful parallels and invites us all to reconsider our personal roles as advocates of tolerance and diversity in our cities. - 11/12/12

Is Netanyahu Planning Nuclear Attack on Iran?Netanyahu thinks ballistic missiles carrying tactical nuclear warheads will be necessary to take out Iran's Fordow uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom. The site is buried deep beneath a mountain. -Common Dreams - 11/12/12

Guards replaced at women's section of Evin Prison After nine female political prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest against their mistreatment by prison guards, reports indicate that guards in the women's ward of Evin Prison have been replaced. - 11/11/12

Iranian parliament to probe death of blogger Iranian parliament has announced that it will probe into the death of jailed blogger Sattar Beheshti after his death created a wave of domestic and international outrage. - 11/11/12

Iran preparing to take control of Bushehr nuclear plant Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Fereydoun Abbasi has announced that Iranian experts will make the preparations necessary to take over the full control of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in late 2012 or early 2013. - 11/11/12

Iraq Rethinks Russian Arms Deal A spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki announced the suspension Saturday of a $4.2 billion arms deal between Baghdad and Moscow. A spokesman for Maliki, Ali Moussawi, told Iraqi state TV that the prime minister had decided to re-examine the arms deal with Russia, after discovering apparent graft and corruption. -Edward Yeranian, VOA - 11/11/12

Photos: Four killed as train derails in central Iran Four were killed and 36 wounded as a train derailed in the central Iranian province of Yazd Saturday morning. According to a local official, the train was travelling from Zahedan in southeastern country to the capital, Tehran, when it derailed while entering a station at 23:50 local time (2020 GMT) Friday night. - 11/10/12

Iranian Ban On Luxury Imports To Drive Up Prices Iran has frozen the import of some 75 goods it considers "luxury" or "nonessential," ranging from cars and motorcycles to various brands of cosmetics, toilet paper, and gourmet food items in an effort to stop the outflow of foreign currency and protect domestic industries hard hit by Western sanctions. - 11/10/12

Iran and IAEA to hold talks in Tehran The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that a new round of nuclear talks with Iran will take place next month in Tehran. - 11/10/12

UN expert in second mission to probe human rights in Iran through diaspora in Europe The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, will launch his second fact-finding mission to three European countries which host Iranian diaspora. Mr. Shaheed will visit Germany, Sweden and Norway from 11 to 22 November 2012 to gather information about alleged human rights violations in Iran. - 11/10/12

Russia's Putin Invites Obama to Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited newly re-elected U.S. President Barack Obama to visit Moscow next year. ​​Mr. Putin's outstretched hand contrasts to the cold shoulder offered President Obama four years ago, at the time of the American's first election. -James Brooke, VOA - 11/10/12

Iran Implicitly Confirms Attack on US Drone Iran is vowing to confront any aircraft that enters its airspace, one day after the Pentagon said Iranian warplanes fired on an unarmed U.S. drone over international waters in the Persian Gulf. - 11/9/12

Cyrus Habib: The first Iranian-American to be elected into state legislature Cyrus Habib made history this past Tuesday when he became the first Iranian American to be elected into state legislature. Representing the Democratic Party for Washington's 48th District, Habib was elected on a platform that champions, among other issues, the affordability and accessibility of higher education. - 11/9/12

Obama Win Stirs Israeli Worries Over PM's Romney Support The re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama has focused attention on his sometimes tense personal relations with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made no secret of his leanings toward the president's challenger. -Scott Bobb, VOA - 11/9/12

Iranian Blogger Who Died In Custody Is Buried The family of Sattar Beheshti, a 35-year-old Iranian blogger and Facebook activist who died in police custody after being arrested, says he has been buried in his hometown of Rabat Karim, southwest of the Iranian capital. - 11/9/12

US Confirms Iran Fired on Drone U.S. defense officials have confirmed reports that Iranian fighter jets fired on a U.S. drone over the Persian Gulf one week ago. Pentagon officials are stopping short of calling it an act of war, but they said Thursday the United States has protested to Iran about the incident, which happened November 1 over international waters. -Luis Ramirez, VOA - 11/9/12

U.S. considering new sanctions on Iran United States lawmakers are mulling over a new package of sanctions on Iran that would restrict the Islamic Republic's ability to engage in international business deals even for non-petroleum products. - 11/9/12

How Obama Can Succeed on IranWith the elections behind him, President Obama must quickly shift his focus to key foreign policy challenges that were put on pause due to election season paralysis. On Iran, the President should hit the ground running. -Trita Parsi and Reza Marashi, Huffington Post - 11/9/12

Will Obama Now Take A New Line On Iran? U.S. President Barack Obama returns to office after an election campaign in which Iran's nuclear program often dominated foreign-policy debates. Obama's rival, Mitt Romney, frequently accused him of taking too soft a line toward Tehran. -Charles Recknagel, RFE - 11/8/12

Death Of Iranian Blogger In Custody Renews Concern Over Prisoner Treatment Before he was arrested last month, 35-year-old Iranian blogger Sattar Beheshti wrote that he had been warned against expressing his anti-regime views. On October 28, according to available information, Beheshti was arrested at his home in Rabat Karim, a town southwest of the Iranian capital, by members of Iran's cyber police -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 11/8/12

Photos: Rural life in Eastern Iran The rural people in Birjand, South Khorassan province in eastern Iran, earn money from farming and animal husbandry. -Ehsan Kamaly - 11/8/12

Iran says Obama has promises to keep The Islamic Republic has reacted to the re-election of Barack Obama, saying the public perception in the Islamic world and the Middle East is that Obama's promises have yet to be realized. - 11/8/12

Armenia, Iran Build Joint Power Plant The construction of the plant is expected to take five years and will supply Iran with energy for the first 15 years of its operation before being handed over to Armenia. - 11/8/12

Four More Years: Obama's Unfinished Business U.S. President Barack Obama campaigned for reelection by asking Americans to give him another term so he could "finish what we started" in 2008. Last night, he won that second term. Today, the work begins. -Heather Maher, RFE - 11/7/12

Hunger strike in the women's ward of Evin, and empty frame of Raheleh Zokayi Nine female political prisoners began a hunger strike on October 31, 2012, to protest the "insulting" treatment they suffered at the hands of their guards at Evin Prison in Tehran. In all the photos and posters that have been published regarding the news about these women, only eight of them are pictured. - 11/7/12

Iran lifts ban on exports of petrochemicals Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi has lifted a ban on the export of petrochemicals and issued an order detailing new regulations for petrochemical exports, ISNA quoted Deputy Oil Minister Abdolhossein Bayat as saying on Tuesday. - 11/7/12

Photos: Vivid Autumn in Northwestern Iran Arasbaran forests around Kaleybar city in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, is one of the main attraction of the region in the most colorful season of the year. -AliHamed Haghdust - 11/6/12

Iranian airfares soar higher Domestic airfares in Iran have gone up by 65 percent as of today, November 6. Abdolreza Mousavi, the head of the Iranian Airlines Association, said on Tuesday: "According to the directive of the National Aviation Organization, fares for domestic flights with go up by an average of 65 percent." - 11/6/12

A Look Into The Mouth Of The 'Big Mouth Basiji' He is widely known as "the Big Mouth Basiji." He's omnipresent at state-organized demonstrations, including Friday Prayers, where he is often seen shouting slogans with a raised fist and gaping mouth. Pictures of him published by state news agencies have been widely shared on the Internet (and here), bringing him fame. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 11/6/12

Iran's surprise economic success: TourismInternational efforts to isolate Iran and force it to halt its uranium enrichment program are having an impact that is both unintended and, for Iranian officials, very much welcome: a jump in tourism. -Jason Rezaian, Washington Post - 11/6/12

Netanyahu Says He'd Go It Alone on Striking IranPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday reiterated his willingness to attack the Iranian nuclear program without support from Washington or the world, returning to an aggressive posture that he had largely abandoned since his United Nations speech in September. -NY Times - 11/6/12

Iranian co-operatives: inspired by the Qu'ran, hit by sanctions"The Iran Central chamber of Co-operatives was established in 1994 and currently has 180,000 registered co-ops with a combined membership of over 25 million members," says Khalili who is also a board member of the International Co-operative Alliance, the trade body representing co-operatives from around the world. -Guardian - 11/6/12

Final Chord For Iran's National Orchestra In the latest setback to Iran's distinguished cultural scene, the country's National Orchestra was declared "abolished" this week by its members. -Frud Bezhan, RFE - 11/5/12

Photos:A Persian Flower Carpet The biggest flower carpet in the Middle East, and the third in the world, measuring about 1,000 meters square, has been unveiled in the town of Mahallat in central Iran. -Mohammad Varvani - 11/5/12

FIFA praises Iran's futsal performace in World Cup"Iran has taken another major step towards reaching the last 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Morocco at Bangkok's Huamark indoor stadium. Goals from Ali Hassanzadeh and Afshin Kazemi secured the points for his team, which now only needs a point in their final Group B match against Panama be guaranteed a top two spot and a place in the knockout rounds," said FIFA. - 11/5/12

IRGC establishes new naval base in Persian Gulf During a ceremony held on Sunday, a naval base of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps was inaugurated in the port city of Bandar Lengeh, which is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the southern province of Hormozgan. - 11/5/12

Iran manufactures VTOL drone Iranian experts have succeeded to build a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone which will be unveiled in the coming months. The drone is being manufactured by researchers from the Mazandaran Science and Technology Park. - 11/5/12

Photos: Festival of Wooden Sculptures in Langroud The festival of wooden sculptures is underway by the Chamkhaleh coasts in Langroud, nothern Iran. Langarud is a city in Iran's Gilan Province located on the south coast of the Caspian Sea. 36 sculptures in 16 groups are participating in the festival that will last for 10 days. -Sajad Rafikhah, Jame Jam - 11/4/12

Ahmadinejad summons brews tension in Parliament Tension brewed in Iranian Parliament when the head of Parliament, Ali Larijani, announced that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been summoned to appear before MPs within a month to explain his economic policies to counter the current crisis. - 11/4/12

Russia steps in to broadcast Iranian channels Russia has taken over broadcasting the Islamic Republic's satellite programs after the European company Eutelset stopped dealing with the Iranian government due to the EU sanctions against Iran. - 11/4/12

Sanctions Fail to Block Iran's Supply of Veterinary Medicine Sanctions have failed to deter Iran from supplying its needed drugs for animals, Head of the Iranian Veterinary Organization Mohsen Dastoor said Sunday, adding that embargos have actually pushed the country towards domestic production. -FNA - 11/4/12

Iran's hospitals feel pain of sanctionsThough the Western-backed sanctions are not meant to target the nation's healthcare industry, the Foundation for Special Diseases says the restrictions have made it more difficult to import medicine and equipment into the country. -Al Jazeera - 11/4/12

'Canadian Caper' in Iran exposed by diplomat The new Hollywood film "Argo" revisits an operation to rescue six Americans after angry Iranian protesters stormed the US Embassy and took more than 50 hostages on November 4, 1979. On the 33rd anniversary, Canada's then-Ambassador Ken Taylor discusses his country's role in helping the Americans escape Iran - and how "Argo" does not adequately reflect that history. -Al Jazeera - 11/4/12

Iranian-Americans Hold Unique View of US Election Behnam and Arian are younger U.S. citizens eligible to vote, just like the vast majority of Iranians in the United States. They say the tensions between Tehran and Washington, and the perceived threat of possible military action against Iran, have influenced their thoughts on the election. - 11/3/12

Iran: Nine Female Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike Bahareh Hedayat's husband tells Rooz, "Bahareh has always been opposed to hunger strike. She had even spoken several times to Nasreen Sotoudeh to convince her to break her hunger strike, but now the situation is so heart-wrenching and despicable that she has been forced to go on hunger strike." -Fereshteh Ghazi - 11/3/12

Iran holds Spain in Futsal World Cup Iran came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with mighty Spain in its FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012 opener at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok on Friday. - 11/3/12

Iran accuses West of seeding public discontent Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told the Mehr news agency: "Sanctions on medical drugs, which are against all accepted international laws, are aimed at putting our people under pressure and creating social and general discontent." - 11/3/12

Iran Proposes Live Coverage of Nuclear Talks with World Powers Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said Tehran has "nothing to hide" regarding its nuclear program and has even proposed live broadcast of its talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany). - 11/3/12

Iran and Turkey Closing in on Israel When It Comes to Science The Iranian hacker cyber attack on American computer banks, which led American Secretary of Defense [Leon Panetta] to issue a warning of a "cyber-war Pearl Harbor attack," is part of the dramatic changes that have taken place in the last decade, in the field of scientific R&D in Islamic Middle East countries including Iran. -Yerach Tal, Al Monitor - 11/3/12

Who Will Iranian-Americans Vote For? On election day in the United States, Portland-based journalist Goudarz Eghtedari will abstain from voting; D.C.-based businessman Shahriar Etminani will cast his vote for Republican candidate Mitt Romney; and California-based attorney Mike Kazemi will vote for the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama. - 11/2/12

Medieval Iran: A Pictorial history for Young Readers Medieval Iran traces life after the Arab Muslim invasion in the 7th century.It follows the changes in cultural and religious life, the rise of independent Iranian dynasties and the defeat of Arab caliphate by the 10th century. - 11/2/12

Commentary: Iran's Lonely Islamic Laws In his most recent reaction to the third report by UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed the Head of Iran's Judiciary states that the report is "a violation of Islamic laws." -Hossein Ghazian, Sociologist - 11/2/12

Iran: Guardian Council Rejects Majlis Bill - Larijani's Plan Circumvented While the Majlis internal affairs and councils committee had passed a draft bill that is said to have been requested by Majlis speaker Ali Larijani, in order to raise the necessary qualifications for candidacy for presidency, the Guardian Council's spokesperson announced that the proposed qualifications will not be approved by the Council. -Mahnaz Malekuti, Rooz - 11/2/12

Iranian prisoner files torture complaint Vahid Asghari, a jailed Iranian accused of "launching pornographic and anti-Islam websites", has written two letters to the Iranian judiciary to file a complaint against Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, accusing his jailers of subjecting him to physical and mental torture. - 11/2/12

Hunger Strike Intensifies at Australian Immigration camp Australia's Department of Immigration has confirmed that 170 asylum seekers in Nauru have started a hunger strike. Detainees say that they are protesting their transfer to a remote camp in the South Pacific while they wait to have their refugee claims processed. - 11/2/12

Canadian court puts freeze on Iranian properties A court in the Canadian province of Ontario has issued a restraining order against Iran's property in Canada, a bid to help the family of an American victim of a terrorist attack collect on a U.S. court's $13-million judgment against Iran. - 11/2/12

Between American And Iranian Elections There isn't much that suggests that a Romney administration would pursue diplomacy with Iran, at least not with the vigor and patience needed to make it work. But even if President Romney would favor reinvigorating diplomacy, he would not be able to take advantage of the best window of opportunity for a negotiated outcome that is soon approaching. -Trita Parsi, Daily Beast - 11/2/12

US Looks for New Civilian Leadership in Syrian Opposition The Obama administration is looking for a new group of Syrians to lead the rebellion against President Bashar Assad. It says the Syrian National Council (SNC) has shown itself unable to unify the opposition and end the Assad family's four decades of rule. -Scott Stearns, VOA - 11/2/12

Iran: Political Prisoners Denied Visits, Care Iran's judiciary and prison authorities should end mistreatment of the prominent rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and six human rights organizations said today. Ebadi and the rights groups also called on Iran's authorities to allow all prisoners access to necessary medical care and family visits to which they are entitled under international human rights law. - 11/1/12

Mass arrests at Tehran writers' event Scores of Iranian political activists were arrested in Tehran on Tuesday night, October 30, at a gathering of writers at Seray Ahl-e Ghalam. Mehdi Khazali's blog had indicated that the gathering last night was to examine "the occupation of the U.S. embassy in terms of international laws and its political, military and economic outcome." - 11/1/12

Iran: Government heads respond to Supreme Leader Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani and Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, have responded in separate letters to the warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who had called for complete "obeisance" to his statements. - 11/1/12

Iran, Turkey's 3rd biggest trading partner: report Iran was the third major trading partner of Turkey, next to Germany and Russia, in the first 8 months of 2012 with $17.52 in bilateral transactions, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. - 11/1/12

In Iran, Stocks Are a Haven As Economy Hits the Skids Amid an economy in turmoil, the Tehran Stock Exchange index has provided Iranians with a rare dose of relief. On Saturday, the stock market's All-Share-Price Index, or TEPIX, surpassed the 31,000-point threshold for the first time in its 45-year history. It continued rising on Tuesday, closing up 0.4% to 31,331.6 points. -WSJ - 11/1/12

US warns Israel off pre-emptive strike on Iran US military commanders have warned their Israeli counterparts that any action against Iran would severely limit the ability of American forces in the region to mount their own operations against the Iranian nuclear programme by cutting off vital logistical support from Gulf Arab allies. - Julian Borger, Guardian - 11/1/12